Lemon Anise Snowflakes | Wild Yeast

Lemon Anise Snowflakes | Wild Yeast

Lemon Anise Snowflakes

Yield: 750 g (2 small loaves)

Time:

* Ferment sponge: 12 – 16 hours
* Mix final dough: 20 minutes
* First fermentation : 1 hour
* Preshape, rest, and shape: 30 minutes
* Refrigerate: overnight
* Proof: 1.5 – 2 hours
* Bake: about 25 – 30 minutes

Desired dough temperature: 78F

Sponge Ingredients:

* 71 g flour
* 32 g milk
* 9 g (2 t.) egg (see note above)
* 0.1 g (a small pinch) instant yeast

Final Dough Ingredients:

* all of the sponge
* 270 g flour
* 22 g cold water
* 7.6 g (2.5 t.) osmotolerant yeast
* 5 g (7/8 t.) salt
* 76 g cold egg (see note above)
* 51 g olive oil
* 84 g lemon syrup from candied lemon peel
* 51 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 46 g candied lemon peel, diced
* 27 g candied ginger, finely diced
* 5.4 g (2.5 t.) whole anise seeds

Egg Wash Ingredients:

* whisked egg
* dash of water
* pinch of salt

Topping Ingredients:

* sanding sugar
* or
* melted butter
* fine granulated sugar

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine the sponge ingredients. Cover and ferment at cool room temperature for 12 – 16 hours, or until approximately doubled in volume.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook, combine the sponge, final dough flour, water, yeast, salt, egg, olive oil, and about one third of the lemon syrup. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, adding a little more syrup if necessary. The dough will be very stiff and dry at this point.
3. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue adding the syrup little by little, mixing for a minute or two after each addition, until all of it has been incorporated into the dough. The dough should now have a medium consistency.
4. Continue mixing in medium speed until the dough has reached a high level of gluten development. (You should be able to pull a very thin, even, and translucent windowpane from the dough.)
5. Add the butter all at once and continue mixing until it s evenly incorporated into the dough.
6. Add the lemon peel, ginger, and anise seed and mix in low speed until they are evenly distributed.
7. Transfer the dough to a lightly-olive-oiled container. Cover and ferment for about an hour at room temperature.
8. Divide the dough into the proper size pieces for the loaf shape(s) you want (see page 2). Shape each piece into a ball and let rest, covered, for about 20 minutes.
9. Shape the loaves (see page 2) on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
10. Slip the sheet into a large plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
11. In the morning, remove the loaves from the refrigerator and place a bowl of hot water in the bag with them. Proof for 1.5 – 2.5 hours, warming the water every so often, until the dough feels very light to the touch of a fingertip.
12. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F on the convection setting or 375F on the regular bake setting.
13. Combine all egg wash ingredients. Just prior to baking, brush the loaves lightly and evenly with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sanding sugar (optional).
14. Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes, until the crust is evenly brown. Check the loaves at 20 minutes; If they are getting to dark before they are evenly baked, reduce the heat by 25 degrees.
15. Remove to a wire rack. If they were not previously sugared, brush the loaves lightly with melted butter and dust with fine sugar while they are still warm.

Many thanks to WildYeast!
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